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DIY

Month: April 2016

I have 4 amazing children and with that comes bags and bags of outgrown clothing to sell at my annual garage sale. Some of their clothes such as baby clothes, special shirts, and other shirts from trips and other stuff I would keep for them, or hey lets just admit it, I am a mom, so I kept some for my own memories! These items would sit in boxes in my storage. One day I was looking at Pintrest and found an article about how to turn your old shirts into rag rugs. Of course the kids and I just HAD to try it! This started a spring cleaning of our closets and we found tons of great old shirt to use.

We started with one rug and now have tons of rag rugs all over my house. I even made rugs for each of my kids made from their favorite shirts, baby and also other shirts that were theirs. The kids love them and they have so much fun looking at them. They like to see if they remember the shirt and where it was from. This is such a fun project and the best part of all…..ITS FREE!! Weaving a t-shirt rug is fun and super easy, even my 3 year old helps make rugs. It is a simple in and out weave and the children are fascinated when they create such amazing rugs!!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

OLD T SHIRTS (10 should be fine depending on size of clothing)

SCISSORS

HOLA HOOP

STEP ONE

Lay the t-shirt flat and start cutting trips of fabric. My strips are about an inch thick but you are defiantly able to experiment with the thickness. It will create a thicker texture to your rug. Make sure you cut from left to right ( across the width) of the shirt. When you cut your strip it should form a fabric loop which will be used as weaving material.

STEP TWO

Now take 11 of the fabric loops and your hola hoop. You are going to take the fabric and stretch them over the hola hoop like in my photo. This is the skeleton of your rug. When stretching the first two fabric loops create a cross shape and then continue to add the other loops evenly apart.

STEP THREE

Push together 2 of the loops.

STEP FOUR

It is time to start weaving the rug! Take a fabric loop and tie it to one of the fabric skeleton loops on the hola hoop. When you “tie” it, this means to pull the fabric loop through itself which will tie it on. Pull it tight so that it is snug.

STEP FIVE

Start weaving in and out of the skeleton loops on the hoop. Make sure to push the fabric down and also tight when you are weaving. Do not pull to tight or it my cause lumps in your rug. I personally had one that was so bubbled that it almost formed a fabric bowl! So take it slow and watch your fabric.

STEP SIX

When your first fabric loop is at the end, you will add another piece of fabric loop by threading the new loop through the the other loop and then through itself. Pull tight so that it because an extension of the other fabric loop. Continue to weave in and out of the skeleton loops until you have reached the size rug you would like.

STEP SEVEN

ALMOST DONE!! I love this part the best! You get to see your final creation! Now that you have the size rug you want, start cutting the skeleton loops that are stretched over the hoop closer to the rug. After cutting one, tie the loop in knot which will tie it off. Continue this all the way around till your rug is off the hoop.

STEP EIGHT

You can cut the ends and let them stick out to give that rag rug look or you can tuck them in for a clean edge. Now just find a perfect spot and enjoy!!

I was so fascinated by the rug that I just had to see what other ideas there were on up-cycled t shirts. Wow, did I find some amazing ones!! I just had to share them with you guys. Enjoy and create!!